When Senior Learning and Development Specialist Lesley Bart decided to live with her partner, she knew that catification would be essential to successfully combining four cats and two adults in a one-bedroom apartment. As Muddy and cat-lover, she recognized that cats are territorial creatures who find new situations stressful. But she hoped by making the space more cat-friendly, everyone could co-exist peacefully.
Now, as a new home owner, she has a lot more space, but she’s still looking for ways to appropriately catify for four cats. Catification helps give Lesley’s cats the stimulation they need, while helping them claim ownership of the territory they need to feel secure. To find out more about the ins and outs of catification, we sat down to talk to Lesley about her own philosophies on feline-friendly homes.
LB: I think of catification as the process of turning a human-centric living space into a space that equally accommodates a cat’s need for enrichment and pleasure. Basically, it’s a strategy for providing more useful territory for your cats and helping them coexist more peacefully with you.
People hear the word catification, and sometimes they think it involves big and expensive projects. But catification can be very simple. Catification is about having some cat shelves, instead of a gallery wall full of pictures. It’s mounting a perch somewhere where your cat can see birds through a window. It’s negotiating between your cat’s need for stimulating territory and having a home that you like, too.
LB: Inexpensive and temporary projects can be good places to start. You can use empty boxes for some simple catification. You can tape them together and cut holes in the sides and just create something that looks interesting to your cat. It might take a little bit of time, but it’s completely free. And when the novelty of the boxes has faded, you can recycle them.
Inexpensive, temporary catification also adds a bit of novelty to your cat’ environment. Even moving the furniture around can be pleasurable for them. Because even though cats are habitual creatures, they do like the stimulation that comes from moving things around.
We started catification in our one-bedroom apartment by installing some simple wall shelves on brackets. Because we had fairly high ceilings, we knew that our walls had the most potential for catification. Giving our cats that vertical territory also helped them travel throughout that space and allowed them to avoid other cats if they wanted to.
We looked for shelves that could hold the weight of two cats, and just placed them throughout the room so the cats could move between them. So, adding shelves that complement your aesthetic, and adding some felt or burlap to the top of them for traction, can be a simple catification project.
LB: It’s true. If you’re not meeting your cat’s needs through some catification, you may find that your cat will start using what’s around to get his needs met. Sometimes that’s perfectly harmless—I noticed that my cats love to hop around in brown paper shopping bags, so sometimes I leave bags in the guest room, so they can hop and play around in them. But if your cats don’t have somewhere to scratch or climb or run, they’re going to see what pieces of your furniture might work for that purpose.
LB: Right now, catios are the most exciting projects to me. It’s an advanced level of catification because you’re starting to incorporate the outdoor environment into your cat’s territory. Catios are essential patios for cats that are completely enclosed. Some are only a few square feet, while others are over a hundred square feet and incorporate trees and other outdoor elements into the design.
The Audubon Society in Portland holds guided tours of catios in Portland each year. It highlights this common ground between bird enthusiasts and cat lovers. The Audubon Society loves the idea of catios because they keep cats in designated areas where they can’t kill birds. So, they work to inspire people to build their own catios.
I think the best examples of catification I’ve seen occur when people think about catification as part of the overall design of their home. These houses have pathways or ramps built all around the rooms. They might have dedicated pathways that allow cats to get from room to room without ever walking on the floor to get there.
There’s been some really interesting designs where catification is built into the design of the house. I’d like to see more of that. I don’t think that anyone buys a giant cat tree covered in carpet because they think it’s an interesting design element. They buy them because their cats love them. But there are lots of opportunities with modern design to make catification a seamless part of the interior.
LB: Indoor cats don’t get the amount of exercise they would get if they lived outdoors. But there are a lot of good reasons to keep your cat indoors, ranging from health advantages to overall longevity. All houses will be smaller than a cat’s natural territory. But catification allows you to add more useable territory for felines in your space while keeping them safe.
You can create spaces that allows your cats to do the same activities they would do outside. We know that different cats have different location preferences. Some cats like to be on the ground, while other cats like to climb trees. Other cats like to stay in bushes. So, if you provide catification within the vertical space your cat prefers, your cat is more likely to climb, jump or run around.
There’s this common fallacy that when you leave the house, your cats will exercise themselves. That doesn’t happen with any regularity, but with catification, you might get them to play rather than sleep when you’re not home. Cats like to play in short bursts. So, they might run around a track, climb a pole or hop between shelves to amuse themselves.
We talk a lot about catification benefits for cats. But catification is also fun for humans. It’s fun to see your cats running around the room and enjoying themselves. Plus, I’d much rather see them running laps around the track I built rather than running around the top of my sectional sofa. And that’s what they’re going to do if they don’t have that space.
Senior Learning and Development Specialist Lesley Bart spends her workdays creating training classes to help Muddies learn more about dog and cat health and nutrition. When she’s not at work, she’s dreaming up new catification projects with her partner for their four cats: Prudence, Baby P, Fat Bunion and Apollo.
Furvor bone 🦴 broth for dogs is made with 100% human-grade ingredients and is highly concentrated, so every squeeze adds real nutrition to your dog’s routine.
🐕 It’s packed with protein, amino acids, and nutrients that can support gut health, mobility, skin and coat, and overall wellness.
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It’s also an easy way to boost hydration and bring a little excitement back to the bowl—especially for picky eaters. Just mix it with water, pour it over kibble, or serve it on its own.
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Shop Furvor 🛒 🛍️ 🐕 Bone Broth in-store or online at Mud Bay!
#mudbay #furvor #bonebroth #dogs #healthypets
Weruva WX Phos Focused Freeze-Dried Chicken and Tilapia is a low-phosphorus, high-protein supplement made from 93% boneless, skinless chicken breast, tilapia, and egg white. It has no grains, fillers, bones, or organs.
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Due to its naturally low phosphorus content, this food is suitable for cats requiring phosphorus management, particularly those with kidney conditions. Additionally, it’s highly digestible protein helps maintain lean muscle mass.
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You can serve it dry or add water to soften the texture. Adding water can help your cat digest it more easily and boost their daily water intake. This recipe is meant as a supplement and works well as a topper or treat alongside a complete, balanced diet.
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If you want help figuring out if this is right for your cat, visit your local Mud Bay and speak with a Muddy, or shop with us online today.
#mudbay #healthypets #kidneyhealth #cats #catfood
If your pup brings the energy indoors, meet their new favorite toy. The ultra plush Fluff & Tuff Soccer Ball is designed for fetch, toss, and all-out play.
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With a strong inner mesh liner and concealed double stitching, it delivers the durability Fluff & Tuff is known for in a soft, soccer-inspired design.
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Kick off the fun and shop the Fluff & Tuff Soccer Ball in-store or online at Mud Bay.
#mudbay #fluffandtuff #dogs #timetoplay #healthypets
Need to keep your dog engaged while you work, host, or help them burn energy?
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The Woof LickMat and LickMix make enrichment easy.
The textured design encourages longer licking, helping promote calm behavior and engagement. Premeasured lines make portioning easy every time.
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Simply mix the grain-free Cheddar and Bacon LickMix. It’s easy to digest, simple to prepare, and each bag provides 10 or more lick sessions. Made from 100 percent silicone, BPA-free, and dishwasher safe. Strong suction cups keep the LickMat stable for easy, everyday use.
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Enhance your dog’s daily enrichment—visit us in-store or online and bring home the woof LickMat and LickMix today.
#mudbay #woof #healthypets #dogs #petenrichment
👀 Looking for a way to slow down mealtime and keep your dog thinking? The GURU Pet Company Bobble Ball turns your dog’s food into an interactive activity.
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Simply fill it with kibble or small treats, screw the top back on, and let the wobble begin. The weighted base creates unpredictable movement that keeps dogs engaged and working for every bite.
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A great option for dogs new to enrichment or seasoned puzzle pros.
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Shop in-store or online at Mud Bay today.
#mudbay #dogs #staybusy #healthypets #dogtoys
🎉 New Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers are now available in-store and online at Mud Bay!
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We’re excited to offer two new formulas that are complete and balanced for both cats and dogs.
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The Digestive Support Formula has beneficial fiber from lentils and sweet potato, along with probiotic inulin from chicory root. It also includes organic apple cider vinegar for extra immune and digestive support.
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Our Hip & Joint Support Formula features turmeric, oat flour, and omega-3 fatty acids from tuna 🐟 to help support joint mobility and immune health.
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All Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers are veterinarian-formulated and free of corn, wheat, soy, and artificial preservatives. And they are convenient and easy to use as a complete meal, a treat, or a topper.
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You can find the full line—including Skin & Coat, Cognitive, Digestive, and Hip & Joint Support formulas—exclusively at Mud Bay.
#mudbay #healthypets #mealtime #pnwpets #mudbayairdriedtoppers
💫 New at Mud Bay!
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CocoTherapy Cranberry Sweet Potato Pie and Peanut Butter Blondie Coco-Charms. Small in size and low in calories, they are an ideal training treat.
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Made with 100% organic ingredients, you can feel good giving them to your dog during longer training sessions. CocoTherapy Coco-Charms are also free from grains, dairy, gluten, eggs, and preservatives, and are low glycemic.
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Shop the Cranberry Sweet Potato Pie and Peanut Butter Blondie CocoTherapy Coco-Charms in-store or online today!
#mudbay #cocotherapy #trainingtreats #dogs #healthypets
🎉 🎉 GIVEAWAY! New Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers for Cats & Dogs
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We’re excited to give you a chance to win a bag of one of our newest Mud Bay Air-Dried Topper formulas.
Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers are veterinarian-formulated, complete and balanced for cats and dogs, and easy to use as a topper, treat, or complete meal.
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New Mud Bay Air-Dried Topper Formulas:
Digestive Support
Made with turkey, chicken, and lentils, plus organic apple cider vinegar and chicory root to help support healthy digestion and immune function.
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Hip and Joint Support:
Made with turkey, chicken, fish, and oats, plus turmeric and omega-3s from tuna to help support mobility and joint health.
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To enter:
👍 Like this post
😃 Tag us and tag a friend
🤝 Follow us
We’ll pick winners at random and notify them on April 16th. Each winner will receive a bag of our newest Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers. 🍀 🤞 Good luck!
#mudbay #foodtoppers #dogs #cats #petfood
Check out these new aquatic-themed toys for your pup from Fluff & Tuff.
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Available in-store now: Claude the squid, with tentacles that are great for tugging.
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We also have Dottie the Puffer Fish, who will keep your pup active with a nice fetch session, and, last but not least, we have Millie the Axolotl, who is an engaging option for all of the above and ready to shake up your pup’s toy selection.
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Shop these fun new Aquatic options for your pup in-store or online today!
#mudbay #fluffandtuff #dogtoys #playtime #pnwpets
We visited the local dog park today to share a fun spring surprise 👀🎉
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The park pups got to try our newest Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers!
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We can’t share all the details on these new toppers yet, but here’s what we can tell you:
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Two new formulas are coming soon, and you’ll find them both in stores and online. They’ll be available in 8-ounce and 24-ounce bags.
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Just like our current toppers, these new formulas give both cats and dogs complete and balanced nutrition. You can serve them as a full meal, sprinkle them on top of their food, or offer them as a treat.
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Thank you to all the pups who came by to try them today.🐾🎉
Check back next week because we have a giveaway coming up. Stay tuned and have a great spring!🌈 💐 🌷 ☀️ ☔
#mudbay #dogpark #sneaktreat #mudbayairdriedtoppers #new
Keep your pet happy and blissfully engaged with the woof LickMat and LickMix.
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The LickMat is BPA-free, 100% silicone, and dishwasher safe on the top rack, with suction cups for stability and a design that encourages longer licking. It also features suction cups for stability and a design that encourages longer licking, while its built-in mixing bowl and measuring lines make mixing easy.
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The Bacon and Cheese LickMix is grain-free and designed for use with the LickMat, woof Pupsicle, or as a meal topper. Each bag yields about 10 LickMat sessions when used as directed.
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Treat your dog with the Woof LickMat and LickMix. Shop all woof products in-store and online today!
#mudbay #woof #dogs #enrichment #petproducts
Stock up on your dog’s favorite Bulk Biscuits and make every refill count.
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Mud Bay’s Bulk Biscuits are all-natural, with many locally sourced options, including organic and grain-free varieties. When you refill your Mud Bay Mud Bucket, you pay $4.24 per pound instead of $4.99 on every refill. That’s 75 cents saved per pound, or 15% off each refill.
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Our Mud Buckets are BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and come in two handy sizes: 2.75 liters and 8.5 liters. Designed for easy refills and fresher storage, they help make treating your dog simple and eco-friendly.
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Refill. Reuse. Re-Biscuit. Visit your local Mud Bay today to pick up a Mud Bay Mud Bucket and some tasty biscuits for your dog!!
#mudbay #mudbuckets #dogs #treats #healthypets
